Excerpt from "My Intentional Life"

What’s in Your Hand?

The account of Moses in front of the burning bush has a peculiar twist that goes unnoticed by some. Yes, God spoke to Moses through a bush that was burning yet was not consumed. Yes, God told Moses to go to Egypt and let his people go. But did you remember that Moses argued? Moses started giving all of the typical obstacle/excuse arguments that we are so adept at giving.

“But I’m just a shepherd. I’ve been out here in the desert for years and don’t how things work out there anymore—I got no email, no CNN. Pharaoh and I weren’t exactly on the best of terms when I left and he’ll kill me if I go back. I don’t even speak well… I’m kind of slow so I don’t like to get up in front of people. Why don’t you send my brother instead?”

“Moses, what’s that in your hand?”

It’s kind of like throwing cold water on fighting dogs or slapping the hysterical woman. Sometimes you have to stop someone dead in their tracks with a sudden change of direction to stop their madness cycle. So God stops Moses’ pitiful litany with a sudden right turn and asks the question, “What’s in your hand?”

Moses answers, “My staff.” I’m reading the passage thinking, “You’re God—you know darn good and well what he had in his hand.” But that’s my version.

Here’s the kicker. There are 3 Hebrew meanings for “staff.” “Staff” can mean “my job.” Moses was a shepherd. It can mean my “walking stick” for those of us who enjoy literal meaning. Then there’s the third definition: “My authority.” The response Moses gave was the latter of the three: My authority.

Think about it. God stops Moses in the middle of his aria “What I Can’t Do” and asks “Hey, what’s in your hand right now, Bucky?”

Then Moses, being a wise man, answered, “My authority.” Authority was the only thing Moses truly owned. A job can be taken away. His shepherding wasn’t a sure thing. A walking stick isn’t a sure thing. A walking stick can be broken, burned, stolen. But what did he have, in hand, which could be used for going back to Egypt was his authority. Moses was sent by God, empowered by God. Moses had lived in Egypt and had position in the palace. Moses knew who he was. He knew what he believed. He believed in His God. He was in touch with Who I Am Now. And when you know your Who I Am Now, you have the authority over your own life to call shots and make choices—to believe or not, to act or not. Moses chose to believe. And God can work with that.

God’s test of Moses didn’t end with the Q&A session. God said, “Okay. I asked ‘Whaddaya got?’ And you tell me ‘I know who I am—I have authority.’ So now I’m telling you, throw down the stick.” A simple act. Moses obeys. And the stick becomes a serpent.

God asks. Moses answers.

God instructs. Moses obeys.

And Moses responds with his Who I Am Now, trusts, and throws a stick on the ground. And God performs a miracle.

Don’t sing the song of what you can’t do. It’s great to be aware of challenges and obstacles which have to be overcome. So why not spend the same amount of energy focused on what you CAN do? Then, DO what you CAN do. Make a list of what you CAN do, CAN control, CAN influence, CAN believe. And if all you find on your list is that you know who you are, that’s a big, hairy deal.

Don’t quit before you even start just because you see lack. If all you have is your identity and a stick, God can perform a miracle.



(c) 2009 Sheri Smith Bertolini